Food processor with a lockable adjustable blade assembly

Abstract

A food processor includes a bowl with a removable lid. Food items are advanced into the bowl through a feed tube formed in the lid where they are cut by a blade assembly. A rotating disk is adjustable relative to the blade assembly to vary the thickness of the food items cut by the blade assembly. A user-operated pin is positioned below the rotating disk and is moveable between a first position in which the rotating disk is prevented from moving upwardly and downwardly, and a second position in which the rotating disk is permitted to move upwardly and downwardly.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A food slicer assembly for a food processor, comprising:
 a cutting blade having a cutting edge, 
 a rotating disk upwardly and downwardly movable relative to the cutting edge of the cutting blade to adjust the distance therebetween, and 
 a locking mechanism positioned below a lower surface of the rotating disk, the locking mechanism including a user-operated pin that is moveable relative to the rotating disk between (i) a first position relative to the rotating disk in which the locking mechanism locks a position of the rotating disk relative to the cutting edge of the cutting blade and prevents the rotating disk from moving upwardly and downwardly relative to the cutting edge of the cutting blade, and (ii) a second position relative to the rotating disc in which the locking mechanism permits the rotating disk to move upwardly and downwardly relative to the cutting edge of the cutting blade, whereby when the user-operated pin is in the first position relative to the rotating disc, the user-operated pin locks the rotating disk at a fixed first position relative to the cutting blade such that the cutting edge cannot move relative to the rotating disk when the user-operated pin is in the first position relative to the rotating disk, and wherein the rotating disk and the cutting edge of the cutting blade are fixed at a fixed first distance when the rotating disk is at the fixed first position relative to the cutting edge of the cutting blade, and wherein the user-operated pin is shiftable from the first position relative to the rotating disc to the second position relative to the rotating disc, and wherein the rotating disk is movable upwardly or downwardly when the user-operated pin is in the second position relative to the rotating disc, and wherein the user-operated pin is shiftable from the second position relative to the rotating disc back to the first position relative to the rotating disc to lock the rotating disk at a fixed second position relative to the rotating disk of the cutting blade such that the cutting edge cannot move relative to the cutting edge when the rotating disk is locked in the fixed second position relative to the cutting edge of the cutting blade, and wherein the rotating disk and the cutting edge of the cutting blade are at a fixed second distance that is not equal to the fixed first distance to vary a thickness of food items cut by the cutting edge of the cutting blade. 
 
     
     
       2. The food slicer assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sleeve extending downwardly from the lower surface of the rotating disk, and 
 a central shaft positioned in the sleeve, the central shaft having the cutting blade coupled thereto. 
 
     
     
       3. The food slicer assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the locking mechanism includes:
 a plurality of teeth extending from the central shaft, and 
 a lever extending from a first end coupled to the user-operated pin to a second end, the second end of the lever being (i) engaged with a number of the teeth when the user-operated pin is in the first position, and (ii) spaced apart from the plurality of teeth when the user-operated pin is in the second position. 
 
     
     
       4. The food slicer assembly of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the sleeve defines a first axis; 
 the lever is pivotably coupled to the sleeve and rotates relative to the sleeve about a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. 
 
     
     
       5. The food slicer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cutting blade comprises a blade assembly including a structure having an upper end and a central shaft extending downwardly from the upper end and, the central shaft defining a vertical blade axis, and wherein the cutting edge has an inner end disposed at the upper end of the central shaft, the cutting edge including a central portion extending horizontally outward away from the upper end; 
 the rotating disk includes a planar body having an upwardly facing upper surface that is configured to support food items as the food items are being cut by the cutting edge, the rotating disk including a central sleeve that is coaxial with the central shaft of the blade assembly, the sleeve including a central passageway, wherein the central shaft is telescopically received in the central passageway. 
 
     
     
       6. The food slicer assembly of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the central shaft includes an aperture extending transverse to the vertical blade axis; 
 the central sleeve includes an upright sidewall having a vertically-extending, slot therethrough aligned with the aperture in the central shaft of the blade assembly structure; 
 the user-operated pin comprises a shaft defining a horizontal axis extending transverse to the vertical blade axis, wherein the shaft extends through the vertically extending, slot, the shaft including an inner end disposed in the aperture of the central shaft, and wherein the user-operated pin translates horizontally in a linear back and forth manner between the first and second positions. 
 
     
     
       7. The food slicer assembly of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the user-operated pin simultaneously engages the central shaft and the central sleeve when the user-operated pin is in the first position to thereby prevent movement of the central shaft relative to the central sleeve. 
 
     
     
       8. The food slicer assembly of  claim 7 , including:
 a spring biasing the user-operated pin in an outward direction from the second position to the first position. 
 
     
     
       9. The food slicer assembly of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the cutting edge is disposed above the upper surface of the planar body of the rotating disk. 
 
     
     
       10. A food slicer assembly for a food processor, comprising:
 a cutting blade including a central shaft and a cutting edge, 
 a rotating disk including a sleeve, the rotating disk being upwardly and downwardly movable relative to the cutting edge of the cutting blade to adjust the distance therebetween, 
 a locking mechanism positioned below a lower surface of the rotating disk, the locking mechanism including a user-operated pin that is moveable relative to the sleeve between (i) a first position in which the user-operated pin locks a position of the rotating disk relative to the cutting, edge of the cutting blade and prevents the rotating disk from moving upwardly and downwardly relative to the cutting edge of the cutting blade, and (ii) a second position in which the locking, mechanism permits the rotating disk to move upwardly and downwardly relative to the cutting edge of the cutting blade, 
 a first plurality of teeth extending from a sidewall of the sleeve to form a linear row of teeth, and 
 the user-operated pin extends through the sleeve into the central shaft and has a second plurality of teeth extending therefrom, the second plurality of teeth being (i) engaged with a number of the first plurality of teeth when the user-operated pin is in the first position, and (ii) spaced apart from the first plurality of teeth when the user-operated pin is moved to the second position, whereby the user-operated pin is movable to the first position to lock the rotating disk at a selected one of a plurality of nonequal distances relative to the cutting edge of the cutting blade to vary a thickness of food items cut by the cutting edge of the cutting blade. 
 
     
     
       11. The food slicer assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the user-operated pin is movable relative to the cutting blade and is also movable relative to the rotating disk. 
 
     
     
       12. The food slicer assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the sleeve of the rotating disk defines a disk axis; 
 the user-operated pin comprises an elongated shaft extending perpendicular to the disk axis. 
 
     
     
       13. The food slicer assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the user-operated pin is not integrally formed with the sleeve of the rotating disk, and wherein the user-operated pin does not include any exterior threads. 
 
     
     
       14. The food slicer assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the central shaft extends vertically and includes a horizontally opening side aperture, and wherein an inner end of the user-operated pin is slidably disposed in the side aperture for horizontal back and forth movement inside the aperture, and including: 
 a spring disposed in the side aperture and biasing the user-operated pin outwardly towards the first position. 
 
     
     
       15. A food processor comprising:
 a base having a motor positioned therein, 
 a removable bowl coupled to the base, 
 a cutting blade positioned in the bowl and secured to a central shaft driven by the motor, 
 a rotating disk having the central shaft extending therethrough, the rotating disk being upwardly and downwardly moveable between a plurality of positions relative to the cutting blade to adjust the distance therebetween, and 
 a locking mechanism positioned below a lower surface of the rotating disk, the locking mechanism including a user-operated pin that is not integrally formed with the rotating disk, the user-operated pin extending through the rotating disk, the user-operated pin is moveable relative to the rotating disk between (i) a first position in which the rotating disk is prevented from moving upwardly and downwardly relative to the cutting blade, and (ii) a second position in which the rotating disk is permitted to move upwardly and downwardly relative to the cutting blade, wherein the locking mechanism retains the rotating disk at a selected one of a plurality of unequal distances from the cutting blade when the user-operated pin is in the first position to thereby permit adjustment of the distance to vary a thickness of food items cut by the cutting blade. 
 
     
     
       16. The food processor of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the locking mechanism further includes a first plurality of teeth extending from a sidewall of the rotating disk, and 
 the user-operated pin has a second plurality of teeth extending therefrom, the second plurality of teeth being (I) engaged with a number of the first plurality of teeth when the user-operated pin is in the first position, and (ii) spaced apart from the first plurality of teeth when the user-operated pin is moved to the second position. 
 
     
     
       17. The food processor of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a sleeve extending downwardly from the lower surface of the rotating disk, and 
 a central shaft positioned in the sleeve, the central shaft having the cutting blade coupled thereto. 
 
     
     
       18. The food processor of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the locking mechanism includes: 
 a first plurality of teeth extending from a sidewall of the sleeve, and 
 the user-operated pin extends through the sleeve into the central shaft and has a second plurality of teeth extending therefrom, the second plurality of teeth being (i) engaged with a number of the first plurality of teeth when the user-operated pin is in the first position, and (ii) spaced apart from the first plurality of teeth when the user-operated pin is moved to the second position. 
 
     
     
       19. The food processor of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the locking mechanism includes: 
 a plurality of teeth extending from the central shaft, and 
 a lever extending from a first end coupled to the user-operated pin to a second end, the second end of the lever being (i) engaged with a number of the teeth when the user-operated pin is in the first position, and (ii) spaced apart from the plurality of teeth when the user-operated pin is in the second position. 
 
     
     
       20. The food processor of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the lever is pivotably coupled to the sleeve.